Greater Snowdrop
Galanthus elwesii
Greater Snowdrop is a bulb for bulb layer, groundcover, suited to full sun to partial shade and clay, loam or chalk, flowering Jan, Feb.
| Type | Bulb |
|---|---|
| Mature height | 20 cm |
| Spread | 10 cm |
| Aspect | full sun to partial shade |
| Foliage | Deciduous |
| Hardiness | USDA 3a-8b, RHS H6 |
| Pollinator-friendly | Yes |
| Pet-safe | No |
Where to use it in a border
At around 20 cm, it sits best along the front edge, where a low, spreading habit reads best. Give it about 10 cm of room to spread, roughly 10 to the metre when planted in a drift. It is hardy across USDA zones 3a to 8b and rated H6 by the RHS, so check it suits your area before planting.
It appears in our lists of shade, clay soil, chalk soil, pollinator-friendly plants.
Border Builder uses Greater Snowdrop's height, spread, soil, bloom months and companions to place it in a full border plan for your own conditions, on iPhone and iPad.
Flowering through the year
Worth knowing
- It tolerates a shaded, north-facing spot.
- Not recorded as pet-safe; site it away from pets that graze if that matters to you.
- Its flowers are valued by bees and other pollinators.
Good companions
Plants that share its conditions and style, chosen to complement its place in the border:
- Astilbe 'Fanal'to flower when it does not
- Astilbe 'Visions'to edge in front
- Barrenwort 'Orange Queen'to edge in front
- Bergenia 'Purpurea'to edge in front
- Bigleaf Hydrangea 'Endless Summer'for height behind it
- Bleeding Heartfor height behind it
Garden styles
Sources
Bloom timing and hardiness drawn from: